Imagine a parliament in which only one in six members is a man! It would look incredible because the reality is that, the world over, women are under-represented in political life. There has never been a parliament with a majority of women and globally, women account for an average of one in six parliamentarians.

Here in the UK, one in five of our MPs is a woman. While this is slightly better than the world average, we are trailing at the bottom end of the league table for European and established democracies.

Voting systems are one of the factors that influence the number of women elected. Our voting system tends to discourage parties from standing women and other under-represented groups. Research shows that under proportional representation, an average of 10% more women are elected. First-Past-the-Post also lets down women voteres and constituents by limiting their choices and fostering a negative, aggressive political culture.

The Electoral Reform Society started its women's campaign in 2005 to explore how a change in voting system could deliver a fairer, more responsive political system for women in the UK. Read more about our work and facts on women in politics on the pages below.

Sign up to our monthly bulletin by entering your email address on the left and selecting "women's campaign newsletter". Contact our women's campaign on women@electoral-reform.org.uk or 020 7928 1622.

 

Where no woman has gone before

A map of women in politics

Women, Politics and Elections

Update Number 24: June/July 2008